The "do they mean us?" thread

[ScouseFox]

hahaha both west bromwich albion. o kkkk. 

[bluesbrothers]

Article that has us relegated - load of shit.

Article which fancies us to survive - worth a read.

 

Fair point, but I've yet to hear a compelling reason why any of the following teams are more likely to survive the drop than ourselves:

Burnley - Spent moderately, and think they'll do okay, but Dyche will constantly carp on about their meagre funds as an excuse for anything that doesn't go their way. BS given the Prem money now guaranteed to them, but if funds are being held from him, they'll struggle to strengthen in January if they're in a poor position.

 

West Brom - Very thin on the ground up-front and have lost some useful players in the close season. Bang average last year and seemingly declining.

 

Southampton - Very impressive since their return, but we all know their absurd transfer policy ripped the spine of their success out of the club, and it remains to be seen how they will cope without their talismans.

 

QPR - 'Arry's disgraceful transfer splurges continue. It didn't work in their past foray into the Prem, only just edged them over the line in the second tier and makes the club a basket case doomed to ruin the moment Fernandes leaves. Regardless of their "soft" players supposedly being suited to the Premier League, the team still reads like a who's who of past top-tier failures, and I don't see that changing while they continue their absurd pursuit of quantity over quality.

 

Sunderland - Wickham is their biggest asset up-front and looks in danger of leaving, which will leave them rather toothless - hell will freeze over before Altidore steps up to the plate. Rodwell may shore up an aging midfield, but I reckon he'll be placed under pressure to carry the team too often. Perennial strugglers these days.

 

Aston Villa - Surely it's only a matter of time before what is somehow still Birmingham's top club is put out of its misery and faces the trap door? They've struggled to compete since their own O'Neill "golden era" and have the same issue Sunderland face - aging faces with a track record of top-flight mediocrity. Couple in a supposedly static defense unlikely to be helped much by Cissokho's arrival and Benteke seemingly being the only player capable of prolonged goalscoring form (unless by some miracle Darren Bent rediscovers his goalscoring knack) and I can honestly see this being the year Villa finally drop out and either get a chance to rebuild in the Championship or face a Leeds-style prolonged era of suffering.

 

Swansea - Again, a fairly recent promotee now seemingly declining after a promising start to their life in the top flight. Gary Monk himself had admitted that the team requires strengthening, and again, the squad's successes are seemingly pinned on the performances of one player. Of the teams listed here, I feel that Swansea have easily the strongest midfield - the likes of Shelvey, Routledge, Dyer and Britton are all top players - but up front there's again the idea of hopes being pinned on one man - in this case Wilfried Bony, who blows hot and cold. It's a cliché, but unless the midfield step up big-time as ours did so well last season, Swansea will really struggle to score.

 

 

So that's 7 teams I count with genuine problems going into the new season that are worse than our own. Our only real issues are a weakness at left-back, a back up for right back and perhaps a need for a bit more wing pace. Besides that, the only reason people have tipped us to go back down has been the absolutely rubbish point that our players are incapable of making the step-up to the Premier League, which is nothing more than a deflective excuse to avoid making any real analysis of the individual players. The recent past, particularly the cases of Swansea and Southampton, have shown how well players can do when given the opportunity, and I have no reason to believe that our boys can't do the same and do us all proud.

 

Of the teams listed above, I'd probably say that Aston Villa, West Brom and QPR are the most likely to be relegated, though Southampton could take QPR's place.

Edited 12 August 2014 by bluesbrothers

[C-man]

Fair point, but I've yet to hear a compelling reason why any of the following teams are more likely to survive the drop than ourselves:

Burnley - Spent moderately, and think they'll do okay, but Dyche will constantly carp on about their meagre funds as an excuse for anything that doesn't go their way. BS given the Prem money now guaranteed to them, but if funds are being held from him, they'll struggle to strengthen in January if they're in a poor position.

 

West Brom - Very thin on the ground up-front and have lost some useful players in the close season. Bang average last year and seemingly declining.

 

Southampton - Very impressive since their return, but we all know their absurd transfer policy ripped the spine of their success out of the club, and it remains to be seen how they will cope without their talismans.

 

QPR - 'Arry's disgraceful transfer splurges continue. It didn't work in their past foray into the Prem, only just edged them over the line in the second tier and makes the club a basket case doomed to ruin the moment Fernandes leaves. Regardless of their "soft" players supposedly being suited to the Premier League, the team still reads like a who's who of past top-tier failures, and I don't see that changing while they continue their absurd pursuit of quantity over quality.

 

Sunderland - Wickham is their biggest asset up-front and looks in danger of leaving, which will leave them rather toothless - hell will freeze over before Altidore steps up to the plate. Rodwell may shore up an aging midfield, but I reckon he'll be placed under pressure to carry the team too often. Perennial strugglers these days.

 

Aston Villa - Surely it's only a matter of time before what is somehow still Birmingham's top club is put out of its misery and faces the trap door? They've struggled to compete since their own O'Neill "golden era" and have the same issue Sunderland face - aging faces with a track record of top-flight mediocrity. Couple in a supposedly static defense unlikely to be helped much by Cissokho's arrival and Benteke seemingly being the only player capable of prolonged goalscoring form (unless by some miracle Darren Bent rediscovers his goalscoring knack) and I can honestly see this being the year Villa finally drop out and either get a chance to rebuild in the Championship or face a Leeds-style prolonged era of suffering.

 

Swansea - Again, a fairly recent promotee now seemingly declining after a promising start to their life in the top flight. Gary Monk himself had admitted that the team requires strengthening, and again, the squad's successes are seemingly pinned on the performances of one player. Of the teams listed here, I feel that Swansea have easily the strongest midfield - the likes of Shelvey, Routledge, Dyer and Britton are all top players - but up front there's again the idea of hopes being pinned on one man - in this case Wilfried Bony, who blows hot and cold. It's a cliché, but unless the midfield step up big-time as ours did so well last season, Swansea will really struggle to score.

 

 

So that's 7 teams I count with genuine problems going into the new season that are worse than our own. Our only real issues are a weakness at left-back, a back up for right back and perhaps a need for a bit more wing pace. Besides that, the only reason people have tipped us to go back down has been the absolutely rubbish point that our players are incapable of making the step-up to the Premier League, which is nothing more than a deflective excuse to avoid making any real analysis of the individual players. The recent past, particularly the cases of Swansea and Southampton, have shown how well players can do when given the opportunity, and I have no reason to believe that our boys can't do the same and do us all proud.

 

Of the teams listed above, I'd probably say that Aston Villa, West Brom and QPR are the most likely to be relegated, though Southampton could take QPR's place.

 

Hull and Palace too

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

A few mistakes aside that's a million times better than the majority of write ups so called 'experts' have mangled together, the writer shows insight in to the club and makes valid points. If that had of said expected finish 18th I wouldn't of minded, it's not a case of the ones that say we'll stay up are good and the ones that say we'll go down aren't. It's just people like Paul Merson and Jamie Redknapp, whatever they say about us, are fvcking clueless and not worth listening to.

[AKCJ]

Personally think Burnley and WBA are gonners.

 

So that's one more spot to fill with one of QPR, Leicester, Villa, Hull, Palace, Sunderland, West Ham, Swansea and Southampton.

 

 

My money is on Villa. 

[PAULCFC]

They add credibility to this by loads of them saying they haven't got a clue who will be promoted to the PL.

Seem a good bunch "Dutch Judas" made me laugh.

[bluesbrothers]

Hull and Palace too

 

Palace: We'll see how Pulis handles "second season syndrome", but they do at least have the bulk of the players that produced some brilliant football in the tail end of last year.  They also signed a certain Mr. Campbell who this very forum were circlejerking over a fortnight ago, and if he and Murray link up together they could be a pretty fearsome strikeforce. Strengthened sensibly, I think they'll be fine.

 

Hull: I agree somewhat in that their squad is pretty threadbare, but they do have some real quality - particularly their aerial threat from set pieces. Long & Jelavic up front, Davies and Chester at the back and Ince and Brady in midfield will form a decent spine. How they cope with the loss of any of those six through injury or suspension will be pivotal.

[Stan]

Paul Walsh:

 

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12037/9409907/premier-league-201415-soccer-saturdays-paul-walsh-makes-his-pre-season-tips

 

Knows his onions.

Edited 12 August 2014 by Stan

[Corky]

That is hilariously bad. So reserve keepers, who could play no games, are meant to get you off your seat?

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

I don't think WBA will go down, they'll be in trouble but I don't think they're certs to get relegated, likewise Villa who've recently always found a way to stay up despite being an appalling side. If both of them finished in the bottom three it'd be glorious but it's beyond unlikely in my opinion.

 

Burnley are the only real ones I'm fairly sold on heading straight back to the Championship.

[Carl the Llama]

Bizarre, I've never heard a team tipped for relegation because their second choice goalkeeper isn't good enough before.

[Jon the Hat]

That is hilariously bad. So reserve keepers, who could play no games, are meant to get you off your seat?

 

I think his point is we havent signed anyone decent.  There is an assumption that your team will never stay up unless you spend spend spend!  Which I dont actually think is true.  Momentum helps.

[Corky]

I think his point is we havent signed anyone decent.  There is an assumption that your team will never stay up unless you spend spend spend!  Which I dont actually think is true.  Momentum helps.

 

If that is true then he should be focusing on Albrighton and Upson who should be playing a lot of games, not talking about Hamer who is back up to a keeper who hasn't missed a league game for three years.

 

Only thing that paragraph from Walsh missed was the obligatory mention of Nugent's TERRIBLE RECORD in the Premier League.

Edited 12 August 2014 by Corky

[Munshi]

He mentions us bringing in the two United players not being impressive enough without knowing there going straight to the development team.

Completely forgets we've brought in Albrighton too.

[Manwell Pablo]

Fair point, but I've yet to hear a compelling reason why any of the following teams are more likely to survive the drop than ourselves:

Burnley - Spent moderately, and think they'll do okay, but Dyche will constantly carp on about their meagre funds as an excuse for anything that doesn't go their way. BS given the Prem money now guaranteed to them, but if funds are being held from him, they'll struggle to strengthen in January if they're in a poor position.

 

West Brom - Very thin on the ground up-front and have lost some useful players in the close season. Bang average last year and seemingly declining.

 

Southampton - Very impressive since their return, but we all know their absurd transfer policy ripped the spine of their success out of the club, and it remains to be seen how they will cope without their talismans.

 

QPR - 'Arry's disgraceful transfer splurges continue. It didn't work in their past foray into the Prem, only just edged them over the line in the second tier and makes the club a basket case doomed to ruin the moment Fernandes leaves. Regardless of their "soft" players supposedly being suited to the Premier League, the team still reads like a who's who of past top-tier failures, and I don't see that changing while they continue their absurd pursuit of quantity over quality.

 

Sunderland - Wickham is their biggest asset up-front and looks in danger of leaving, which will leave them rather toothless - hell will freeze over before Altidore steps up to the plate. Rodwell may shore up an aging midfield, but I reckon he'll be placed under pressure to carry the team too often. Perennial strugglers these days.

 

Aston Villa - Surely it's only a matter of time before what is somehow still Birmingham's top club is put out of its misery and faces the trap door? They've struggled to compete since their own O'Neill "golden era" and have the same issue Sunderland face - aging faces with a track record of top-flight mediocrity. Couple in a supposedly static defense unlikely to be helped much by Cissokho's arrival and Benteke seemingly being the only player capable of prolonged goalscoring form (unless by some miracle Darren Bent rediscovers his goalscoring knack) and I can honestly see this being the year Villa finally drop out and either get a chance to rebuild in the Championship or face a Leeds-style prolonged era of suffering.

 

Swansea - Again, a fairly recent promotee now seemingly declining after a promising start to their life in the top flight. Gary Monk himself had admitted that the team requires strengthening, and again, the squad's successes are seemingly pinned on the performances of one player. Of the teams listed here, I feel that Swansea have easily the strongest midfield - the likes of Shelvey, Routledge, Dyer and Britton are all top players - but up front there's again the idea of hopes being pinned on one man - in this case Wilfried Bony, who blows hot and cold. It's a cliché, but unless the midfield step up big-time as ours did so well last season, Swansea will really struggle to score.

 

 

So that's 7 teams I count with genuine problems going into the new season that are worse than our own. Our only real issues are a weakness at left-back, a back up for right back and perhaps a need for a bit more wing pace. Besides that, the only reason people have tipped us to go back down has been the absolutely rubbish point that our players are incapable of making the step-up to the Premier League, which is nothing more than a deflective excuse to avoid making any real analysis of the individual players. The recent past, particularly the cases of Swansea and Southampton, have shown how well players can do when given the opportunity, and I have no reason to believe that our boys can't do the same and do us all proud.

 

Of the teams listed above, I'd probably say that Aston Villa, West Brom and QPR are the most likely to be relegated, though Southampton could take QPR's place.

 

Swansea will just have too much, they'll finish above us I think. It's alright saying Bony blows hot and cold he's much better than any striker we have at the club.

 

Someone said Palace I think with Pulis in charge they'll be ugly but will win games. 

 

The rest, up for debate but you've made some good points. 

[Happy Fox]

The complete lack of regard towards Leicester City is quite astonishing really, do they realise we f**king romped the championship with a group of young players?, just because we haven't got any "named players" doesn't mean we aren't good enough I hope we f**king show them we are the real deal.

Edited 12 August 2014 by Happy Fox

[Xen]

Fair point, but I've yet to hear a compelling reason why any of the following teams are more likely to survive the drop than ourselves:

Burnley - Spent moderately, and think they'll do okay, but Dyche will constantly carp on about their meagre funds as an excuse for anything that doesn't go their way. BS given the Prem money now guaranteed to them, but if funds are being held from him, they'll struggle to strengthen in January if they're in a poor position.

 

West Brom - Very thin on the ground up-front and have lost some useful players in the close season. Bang average last year and seemingly declining.

 

Southampton - Very impressive since their return, but we all know their absurd transfer policy ripped the spine of their success out of the club, and it remains to be seen how they will cope without their talismans.

 

QPR - 'Arry's disgraceful transfer splurges continue. It didn't work in their past foray into the Prem, only just edged them over the line in the second tier and makes the club a basket case doomed to ruin the moment Fernandes leaves. Regardless of their "soft" players supposedly being suited to the Premier League, the team still reads like a who's who of past top-tier failures, and I don't see that changing while they continue their absurd pursuit of quantity over quality.

 

Sunderland - Wickham is their biggest asset up-front and looks in danger of leaving, which will leave them rather toothless - hell will freeze over before Altidore steps up to the plate. Rodwell may shore up an aging midfield, but I reckon he'll be placed under pressure to carry the team too often. Perennial strugglers these days.

 

Aston Villa - Surely it's only a matter of time before what is somehow still Birmingham's top club is put out of its misery and faces the trap door? They've struggled to compete since their own O'Neill "golden era" and have the same issue Sunderland face - aging faces with a track record of top-flight mediocrity. Couple in a supposedly static defense unlikely to be helped much by Cissokho's arrival and Benteke seemingly being the only player capable of prolonged goalscoring form (unless by some miracle Darren Bent rediscovers his goalscoring knack) and I can honestly see this being the year Villa finally drop out and either get a chance to rebuild in the Championship or face a Leeds-style prolonged era of suffering.

 

Swansea - Again, a fairly recent promotee now seemingly declining after a promising start to their life in the top flight. Gary Monk himself had admitted that the team requires strengthening, and again, the squad's successes are seemingly pinned on the performances of one player. Of the teams listed here, I feel that Swansea have easily the strongest midfield - the likes of Shelvey, Routledge, Dyer and Britton are all top players - but up front there's again the idea of hopes being pinned on one man - in this case Wilfried Bony, who blows hot and cold. It's a cliché, but unless the midfield step up big-time as ours did so well last season, Swansea will really struggle to score.

 

 

So that's 7 teams I count with genuine problems going into the new season that are worse than our own. Our only real issues are a weakness at left-back, a back up for right back and perhaps a need for a bit more wing pace. Besides that, the only reason people have tipped us to go back down has been the absolutely rubbish point that our players are incapable of making the step-up to the Premier League, which is nothing more than a deflective excuse to avoid making any real analysis of the individual players. The recent past, particularly the cases of Swansea and Southampton, have shown how well players can do when given the opportunity, and I have no reason to believe that our boys can't do the same and do us all proud.

 

Of the teams listed above, I'd probably say that Aston Villa, West Brom and QPR are the most likely to be relegated, though Southampton could take QPR's place.

 

Agree wholeheartedly with this - barring the third relegation side. While I'd LOVE for QPR to get relegated, I think they'll just edge out Burnley. I know they had a superior squad to QPR last season, but their signings leave a lot to be desired. QPR - for all their failings - do have some prem-standard players (such as Remy) and I feel that will put them one step ahead of Burnley come May. 

 

That being said, I wouldnt be surprised to see those four sides - QPR, Burnley, WBA and Villa - make up the 17th-20th spots. I think we're more than capable of staying up if it's teams like these we have to contend with. 13th-16th is my prediction, and 15th if I had to narrow it down further.

[Stan]

The complete lack of regard towards Leicester City is quite astonishing really, do they realise we f**king romped the championship with a group of young players?, just because we haven't got any "named players" doesn't mean we aren't good enough I hope we f**king show them we are the real deal.

 

It would be interesting to see the Premier League previews for the record-breaking 2005/6 Reading side. I suspect they were also written-off as they didn't buy enough 'quality' pre-season.

[jimmeh]

We haven't signed as many players as I hoped tbh. I can see why they tip us for relegation

[MrsJohnMurphy]

ITV's turn to write us off.....

 

http://www.itv.com/sport/football/article/2014-08-12/premier-league-season-preview-leicester-city-predicted-finish-19th/

[Fox92]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12931/9418231/phil-thompsons-premier-league-predictions-201415

 

I respect Phil Thompson, and he's a great person having personally met him, but I don't agree with a lot of that. Of course he's got Liverpool to finish top four and hasn't included Manchester United! But I don't get how they come to a conclusion that ourselves, Burnley and QPR are any worse than the bottom half of the division. Seriously. I mean how teams such as Aston Villa manage to scrape to survival every year I never know.

[Stan]

ITV's turn to write us off.....

 

http://www.itv.com/sport/football/article/2014-08-12/premier-league-season-preview-leicester-city-predicted-finish-19th/

 

Hull 10th and Palace 9th!

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Fair point, but I've yet to hear a compelling reason why any of the following teams are more likely to survive the drop than ourselves:

Burnley - Spent moderately, and think they'll do okay, but Dyche will constantly carp on about their meagre funds as an excuse for anything that doesn't go their way. BS given the Prem money now guaranteed to them, but if funds are being held from him, they'll struggle to strengthen in January if they're in a poor position.

 

West Brom - Very thin on the ground up-front and have lost some useful players in the close season. Bang average last year and seemingly declining.

 

Southampton - Very impressive since their return, but we all know their absurd transfer policy ripped the spine of their success out of the club, and it remains to be seen how they will cope without their talismans.

 

QPR - 'Arry's disgraceful transfer splurges continue. It didn't work in their past foray into the Prem, only just edged them over the line in the second tier and makes the club a basket case doomed to ruin the moment Fernandes leaves. Regardless of their "soft" players supposedly being suited to the Premier League, the team still reads like a who's who of past top-tier failures, and I don't see that changing while they continue their absurd pursuit of quantity over quality.

 

Sunderland - Wickham is their biggest asset up-front and looks in danger of leaving, which will leave them rather toothless - hell will freeze over before Altidore steps up to the plate. Rodwell may shore up an aging midfield, but I reckon he'll be placed under pressure to carry the team too often. Perennial strugglers these days.

 

Aston Villa - Surely it's only a matter of time before what is somehow still Birmingham's top club is put out of its misery and faces the trap door? They've struggled to compete since their own O'Neill "golden era" and have the same issue Sunderland face - aging faces with a track record of top-flight mediocrity. Couple in a supposedly static defense unlikely to be helped much by Cissokho's arrival and Benteke seemingly being the only player capable of prolonged goalscoring form (unless by some miracle Darren Bent rediscovers his goalscoring knack) and I can honestly see this being the year Villa finally drop out and either get a chance to rebuild in the Championship or face a Leeds-style prolonged era of suffering.

 

Swansea - Again, a fairly recent promotee now seemingly declining after a promising start to their life in the top flight. Gary Monk himself had admitted that the team requires strengthening, and again, the squad's successes are seemingly pinned on the performances of one player. Of the teams listed here, I feel that Swansea have easily the strongest midfield - the likes of Shelvey, Routledge, Dyer and Britton are all top players - but up front there's again the idea of hopes being pinned on one man - in this case Wilfried Bony, who blows hot and cold. It's a cliché, but unless the midfield step up big-time as ours did so well last season, Swansea will really struggle to score.

 

 

So that's 7 teams I count with genuine problems going into the new season that are worse than our own. Our only real issues are a weakness at left-back, a back up for right back and perhaps a need for a bit more wing pace. Besides that, the only reason people have tipped us to go back down has been the absolutely rubbish point that our players are incapable of making the step-up to the Premier League, which is nothing more than a deflective excuse to avoid making any real analysis of the individual players. The recent past, particularly the cases of Swansea and Southampton, have shown how well players can do when given the opportunity, and I have no reason to believe that our boys can't do the same and do us all proud.

 

Of the teams listed above, I'd probably say that Aston Villa, West Brom and QPR are the most likely to be relegated, though Southampton could take QPR's place.

QPR, I reckon, will finish higher than us. Villa Sunderland, and !!!

[Guest ttfn]

At the end of the day I'm pretty confident we'll have the last laugh.

 

None of these guys from the television networks will have put any research into any of the three sides which got promoted last year. You're far more likely to get something knowledgeable from a blogger who has to go out of his way to produce good stuff to get any recognition/hits. For the likes of the Soccer Saturday gang this is money for old rope. They won't have watched 5 Championship matches between them last year and I can guarantee that their combined research for this will barely stretch into the 10s of minutes. 

 

Jamie Redknapp's is probably my "favourite" prediction of the few on the Sky Sports website as he even succeeds in getting his attempted flattery wrong, describing the KPS atmosphere as "fierce".

 

I can't link it because it's a downloadable PDF but the pre-season preview on WhoScored is a work of art.

[cjslcfc]

Oh Phil. How is it hard to see past the promoted teams? maybe 'cos you know nothing about them and haven't seen the players so they must be rubbish? Utter crap. It seems these days if you don't buy players who have played in the EPL then you haven't got a hope in hell. Can't wait for them to start drooling a couple months in over Drinkwater, Mahrez etc... We'll certainly be seen as having "Premier League experience" eh.

 

Edit: Villa have been absolutely shite for the past few seasons. West Brom have hired Alan fvcking Irvine. Swansea have Garry Monk. Burnley have a weaker squad than us. QPR are slow and still lack the creativity they lacked last season. Hull will have Europe to contend with. West Ham fans are always on Sam's back and he may be sacked sooner rather than later. But we've been promoted and don't have fancy names so yeah we're going down. After the first few games I can't wait to take a few of these mediocre teams on. I really hope we show how little knowledge these "experts" have.

Edited 12 August 2014 by cjslcfc